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Qualifying is usually uneventful.

Sometimes there is a spin or a wall scrape. Sometimes things go really off and a car and driver go for an unintentional ride.

At Martinsville it was uneventful.

Except the first time appearance of Danica Patrick… And Mark Martin in Denny Hamlin’s car… And the snow…

First, the snow. It was actually the day and night before. Rain was forecast but the temperatures dropped and 2 to 4 inches of snow fell. It was mostly to the west of Martinsville but flakes fell and it was wet and cold and people were so buzzed up over snow in April. However, the weather changed rapidly with blue skies and temps in the mid 60’s as qualifying began. The practice sessions went on with only a nod to the snow the day before. (more…)

Virginia race fans have it all. They really do.

Two NASCAR sanctioned tracks plus one so close to the border it qualifies as a third. Martinsville, Richmond and Bristol…

With these you have access to the major NASCAR series Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World…

Add in the road coarse at Virginia International Raceway and you get even more with American Le Mans, SCCA, AMA… Sports cars, open wheel, motorcycles…

Virginia has smaller tracks all over the state for weekend racing of every sort. From South Boston to Motor Mile to Langley to Southside to Shenandoah… All sorts of locals and series run all summer long.

Drag strips and dirt tracks and race, race, race… (more…)

Martinsville Speedway marks the return of NASCAR after taking the previous weekend off for Easter. The week before lit a firestorm that may show some spark at the STP Gas Booster 500…

Denny Hamlin is out for a bit with back injuries following a hard hit on the inside wall after contact with Joey Logano. This, after jabs on Twitter from the race before… And before…

It seems there is a bit of tension with the former team mates. Fans aren’t likely to sit very still with a Virginia favorite out while the other takes the stage. The grandstands are going to rumble.

Throw Tony Stewart in the mix and the return to racing is wound up tight. Stewart, angered by Logano’s diving drive at Fontana, was after the #22 driver with fists up. Stewart is also set for a “Fan Zone” appearance at Martinsville so the fun starts early. (more…)

Interesting coincidence.

By now, it is quite publicly known that Denny Hamlin is in the garage for a while with a back injury. The injury resulted from the last lap wall crash following contact with Joey Logano in California.

Joe Gibbs Racing has announced the FedEx #11 Toyota will continue the schedule and be ready when Hamlin is released to race. In his absence, Mark Martin has been tagged to drive it.

Now, over at Michael Waltrip Racing, that leaves a little hole to fill for the #55. However, they seem to have some depth on the bench to run with until Martin can return.

Everyone at JGR, Denny Hamlin included, is pleased and excited to have Martin on board. His experience mixes well with the team of folks ready to race.

The coincidence, as it adds up, concerns car numbers… (more…)

NASCAR is off. Grand-Am, American Le Mans… Both are off. IndyCar and F1 are off. Even NHRA is off.

Racing just got started and here comes Peter Cottontail to shut it all down. Easter weekend is fine for chocolate bunnies and colored eggs and peeps.

Peeps, by the way, used to be yellow. They still have the yellow ones but now they come out in all sorts of colors not seen in nature. Not seen anywhere, for that matter, until you find them poking out of fluorescent green, fake grass in a machine woven basket on Easter morning.

Easter celebrates the Christian holiday of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the coming of Spring and the scientific creation of unnatural colors. It also puts auto racing off the track.

We think drivers’ families hide their keys in colored eggs so they can’t leave. (more…)